Senate Republicans eye defense-only spending bill - Semafor

Senate Republicans are considering a defense-only party-line spending bill after getting the green light from President Donald Trump and paring down their lame-duck ambitions.

“In my mind it’s crystal-clear — the narrower, the more likely,” Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., told Semafor. “Even the most mean-spirited ogres among us can rationalize no pay-fors for defense if that’s what it comes to.”

Still, no one is guaranteeing success on the reconciliation effort, which can evade a Senate filibuster.

And Republicans will have to pass a budget resolution setting up the process soon — their margins are set to get narrower when Democrat Sherrod Brown replaces defeated Sen. Jon Husted on Dec. 15.

Trump wants a $350 billion bill, a sum meant to replenish the military after nine months of war with Iran. At this time, the proposal under discussion doesn’t include a debt ceiling increase.